How many horses do you think are 1/10 or 2/10 lame?

How many under age teenagers do you think have sex?

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Coffee_Bean

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As title really. Do you think a lot of people who do RC level and below kinda stuff with their horses, have horses who are 1/10 or 2/10 sound without realising it?

Do you think a 1/10 lame horse means big problems and lots of worrying? or do you realistically think that many horses have a lazy leg and its not really anything to worry about?

If you were told your horse was 1/10 lame, would you stop riding it?

Not really sure what I want to get out of this post really....
 
My friends horse had a 5* vetting and her horse was 1/10 lame when trotted on a hard surface and he was passed with flying colours for all RC activities
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Do you think a 1/10 lame horse means big problems and lots of worrying? or do you realistically think that many horses have a lazy leg and its not really anything to worry about?

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Sol was 1/10ths lame , that's all it took for us to investigate .. and look how buggered she is
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I can't really answer your poll very well.. I do think there are plenty of horses 1/10 or 2/10 lame out there in ridden work. Either their owners don't want to see it, can't see it, or have tried to resolve without success and are managing it.

I think it depends on the cause of the lameness really. If my horse suddenly became slightly lame, I would be concerned and do all necessary investigations. However if the horse was 20 and becoming arthritic, that might be a different scenario.
 
I think there are plenty of 1/10 lame horses at every level of competition. If you checked a horse every single day, e.g. by lunging on concrete, it would probably come out lame fairly often.
 
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Yeh sorry poll isn't the greatest, was hard to try and get across what is in my head....

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It wasn't a criticism, I had mixed views on the subject
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I think there are plenty of 1/10 lame horses at every level of competition. If you checked a horse every single day, e.g. by lunging on concrete, it would probably come out lame fairly often.

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I agree with this
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This is why we tried so hard to resolve things and give her time to develop before she went off for diagnostics. Vet always said carry on riding her , she's sounder than some event/sj'ers I see ..
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Yeh sorry poll isn't the greatest, was hard to try and get across what is in my head....

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It wasn't a criticism, I had mixed views on the subject
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I didn't take it as criticism.... I'm annoying myself that i can't put what I want to say into the right words
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At my yard I would say about 50% of the horses showed some sort of unlevelness or stiffness most of which really only shows up when schooling on a circle so probably stiffness and lack of proper schooling in most cases - they are all much-loved and well-cared for . On my part every horse I have ever owned has had something wrong with it loaned or shared - all have been thoroughly investigated and managed where possible. There would be a lot more field ornaments and trips to rainbow bridge if people didn't ride horses with slight problems.
 
I think if you x-rayed a whole lot of horses that appear sound you would be surprised at the results! Many top level comp horses have dengenerative changes although it causes no real problems. It wouldn't surprise me at all to learn that many RC horses had a slight unlevelness, and TBH as long as it is diagnosed and managed well and the horse is happy and performing well then I can't see the problem with the horse continuing it's work. I personally am alot more than 1/10 lame in the morning before my joints loosen up!!
 
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Do you think a 1/10 lame horse means big problems and lots of worrying? or do you realistically think that many horses have a lazy leg and its not really anything to worry about?

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Sol was 1/10ths lame , that's all it took for us to investigate .. and look how buggered she is
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Yup! I know where you're coming from.

Just under a year ago, Be wasn't even lame when we first started investigating.
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She was "backy" and seemed not to be engaging as well as she used to. (never refused a single fence or refused to go forward with the lightest of leg) By the time I'd got her a referral to, and in for diagnostics, at Rossdales, she was distinctly more uncomfortable and felt more unlevel to me. They took considerable time trotting her up and nerve blocking, but I was already able to say that she was not right on either, and which one she was worse on...

She was then diagnosed as 1/10th and 2/10ths lame on her back legs- to me both was VERY apparent by the point she was diagnosed, BUT, I know her and the feel of her better than anyone, and I can see how it may have *looked* trivial to some, despite what a huge difference it meant to me who knew her.

Given what has go on to happen to her I would be incredibly concerned about another horse moving this way/minor degree of lameness. I don't think they should pass a vetting (of any kind) and it would concern me. I think from now on I shall live with the motto, if in doubt, X ray and scan, and then X ray and scan some more!
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I think alot of the horses you see out competing are unlevel, some very noticeably so! I think alot are bilaterally lame in front or behind and so the owner doesnt pick up on it as horse just gets a bit shorter in front or doesnt use its back end properly.


I think most cope at a local level fine, it becomes an issue when these horses are asked to work harder. Blaze at present looks alot sounder than most horses I see competing, however I know he has ligament damage in his foot, he would however complete a PN tomorrow, and probably with a decent dressage and a double clear, but thats not the point is it?
 
Are we talking about lame or unlevel. After numerous seasons of point to pointing I would definately be described as unlevel but not lame.If my current horse wishes to be described as on tenth lame because he is a bit tight on one side,I am more than happy to give him a right ding in the fetlock so that he understands the difference.
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My horse was retired on being found 2/10 lame (but more so downhill), this was due to advancing arthritis. But I would have thought 1/10 not a massive issue if it were just a result of being unfit/unlevel.
 
I would agree with Madhector. You would be surprised how many people (inc very very experienced horsemen from every discipline) cant identify 1/10 lameness. Even 1/10 lameness varies between vets. Ive seen a lot of horse vets who cant identify 1/10 lameness, but one surgeon I know is a genius. I can see what he is on about everytime, however I often wonder at the relevance of this sort of lameness. Unfortunatley I think its another thing that has to be assessed on a case by case basis.

And then as mike007 says you have "unlevel" - which I take to be a horse who moves "wrong" bu not because of pain - sometimes you will see exapmles of this in a horse with previous now healed pelvic fracture or once with spavin that is now fused.

youd be seriously surprised at the number of chrinically 1/10 lame racehorses winning at the top levels. This is mainly in NH - due to the age of these horses, but Ive seen a few older flat horses who fit the bill.
 
Interesting post.
My daughters horse is sound at the moment after 6 months field rest and looks wonderful. Even when ridden he is barely 1/10 lame. BUT he had collateral ligament damage to both fores. Half of our yard don't believe he is lame - but she can feel it when he is ridden and I can see it. I also now can see lots of horses who are not sound and dressage judges etc don't seem to notice or don't want to say anything.
Not all horses who are lame are in agony but they get worse if "pushed" so it is difficult. If they are happy with light hacking then fine but if not then I believe they need proper investigation and then either retiring or proper (expensive usually) treatment.
I am shocked at how instructors can continue to teach on "slightly" unsound horses and not question the owner. However the only instructor I saw do this was accused of causing trouble and dropped by several clients despite her being right.
 
I had the physio out to my lad turns out he was 1/10 lame on his near fore, she said not to worry carry on as normal and just keep an eye on it (he does have arthritis).

a couple of days later he started getting worse, sound in walk 1/10 when trotted up but noticeably lame in trot when ridden, turns out he had tweeked his suspensory hooning in the field most likely so bute and lots of road work in walk (vets recommendation).

It felt wrong to be riding a lame horse but the vet was right and he is now sound as a pound *touch wood*

so although I would never intentionally ride a lame horse when the vet says do it I do it. Sorry for the long ramble
 
Most horses I see/teach are sometimes unlevel. However in pretty all cases it is lack of correct schooling/balance/ rider unlevelness or blocking.

Lets be honest how many of us are truley not at all lame!

The key points are to look at the horses way of going without the rider and how schooling and exercise effect the movement. Any worsening during exercise would be a major concern and stiffness/ unlevelness in a young horse would be of more concern.
 
I would get the vet to investigate and then go off their advice as to what could be done with said horse. For a while before she went seriously downhill Annie was lame on concrete but fine on surface so I was allowed to school - just no hard ground hacking and no jumping.
 
It's not right, I wouldn't ride it.

1/10th lame is usually a far worse scenario than 5/10ths lame. 5/10ths is usually a sudden injury to one spot, picked up on straight away, that can be supported and rested so it will heal. 1/10th is usually bi-lateral so harder to rest, hasn't just happened so less chance of starting to heal, less well understood so harder to treat, long term so likely to have caused other problems through the horse compensating. Respect slight lameness, its the most frustrating and the hardest to fix IMO.
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1/10th lame is usually a far worse scenario than 5/10ths lame. 5/10ths is usually a sudden injury to one spot, picked up on straight away, that can be supported and rested so it will heal. 1/10th is usually bi-lateral so harder to rest, hasn't just happened so less chance of starting to heal, less well understood so harder to treat, long term so likely to have caused other problems through the horse compensating. Respect slight lameness, its the most frustrating and the hardest to fix IMO.
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VERY good point.... and one that my horse illustrates wonderfully
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Tricky one, i can pretty much spot on most horses a slightly uneven stride, esp. from on top. I do think though that lots out there are a little stiff, and very few are sound on a ten metre circle on the hard.
 
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1/10th lame is usually a far worse scenario than 5/10ths lame. 5/10ths is usually a sudden injury to one spot, picked up on straight away, that can be supported and rested so it will heal. 1/10th is usually bi-lateral so harder to rest, hasn't just happened so less chance of starting to heal, less well understood so harder to treat, long term so likely to have caused other problems through the horse compensating. Respect slight lameness, its the most frustrating and the hardest to fix IMO.
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VERY good point.... and one that my horse illustrates wonderfully
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And mine
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There are plenty of 1/10th or 2/10th lame horses out there. As someone said, whether this is because the owners don't want to acknowledge it, are blind to it, or because it is currently being treated/undergoing investigation.
However, how many riders out there are 1 or 2/10th lame. A crude comparison, but if you flexion tested me, I would fail on both legs hands down. But this doesn't prevent me from going out and doing all which I want. I'm 21, stiff as a board when I wake up, skewed hips and terrible knees. But I still ride, cycle, run, climb etc. I can voice my pain, but I don't stop what I'm doing!
I'm not quite sure what I'm getting at, but I've seen so many owners/riders spend 1000's on getting to the bottom of a problem, which isn't actually detrimental to their performance/quality of life.
 
my horse had probably been 1/10 lame prior to me buying her and was ridden regularly and passed a 5 stage vetting.it was only when i wanted to do more and as she was new to me i persued it.local equine vet and physio couldnt find anything but she went to rossdales and poor love was bilaterally lame having suspensory damager and back pain.kind willing horses put up with a lot and i think its likely if you carry on without really knowing what the cause is youre likely to do more damage.if you know the cause and can manage it thats a bit different
 
I don't know but I sold a warmblood a few years ago who IMO was perfectly sound, this horse did BSJA etc. most weekends however when I came to sell him and he was vetted, I was told he was 1/10 lame on one hind and 2/10 lame on the other so he failed his flexion test! I was horrified TBH, so I got my own vet out that same day and he passed him no problem!! It is totally down to the vet IMO. I kept riding him as usual and he passed the next vetting arranged by another person! The vet that failed him I believe was useless, to much so that ever since when people want any of my horses vetted then I tell them I will have ANYONE except this one vet!
 
a very well known vet once said to me on the subject of horses lameness....... if all the people in the london marathon with a slight limp didnt run it then there would be no one running it!!!!!!
 
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